Youki’s is located in Chapel Street just off the main street. It supplies a variety of fresh Sushi for take away or eaten in the cafe. Entry is through a wide door with level entry off Chapel Street. The display counter is low with a glass front easily visible by people of all heights including children and wheelchair users. The service and waiting area is spacious. The adjoining cafe is also spacious. Chairs are movable providing a range of seating options.
The Koala Conservation Centre offers visitors a chance to have a face to face encounter with arguably Australia’s most loved animal. The unique tree top board walks are fully wheelchair accessible offering an inclusive experience.
Unlike a Zoo, the Koala Conservation Centre offers visitors a chance to see these lovable creatures in their natural environment. The centre has played a crucial role in saving the population of Koalas on Phillip Island.
The Visitors Centre is equipped with a cafe with accessible seating, disabled toilet facilities and an interpretative centre that will allow the visitor to leave with a full appreciation of this magnificent little creature.
Accessibility Features
Visitors Centre
The visitors centre is accessed from the five disabled parking places in the carpark via a wide and smooth path. Both the carpark and access path are gravel. The surface is smooth and the stones hard packed and fine. The centre is entered via a ramp with a 1 in 14 gradient equipped with handrails on both sides. The entrance door is wide and self opening. The centre houses a gift shop, cafe, disabled toilet facilities and an excellent interpretive centre. Inside the centre the floors are level and hard surfaced. The furniture in the cafe is movable as is the outdoor eating area furniture. The longer tables have roll under ends to cater for a wheelchair. The interpretative centre is spacious allowing easy wheelchair access. All displays are readable from wheelchair height.
Koala Boardwalk
The highlight of a visit to Koala Conservation Centre are the boardwalks that are fully accessible and allow a view of the Koalas at their level in the trees. The park is entered from the interpretive centre through a self opening door and another 1 in 14 ramp. The paths within the park are again a gravel surface. The paths are smooth and a moderate gradient. The two boardwalks are a short roll from the visitors centre. They are entered through a pair of gates that are very lightly loaded. The Koala Boardwalk lives up to its name with an abundance of Koalas on view giving some remarkable photo opportunities. The boardwalks are wide as are the observation areas allowing easy access to wheelchairs.
Woodland Boardwalk
The Woodland Boardwalk also affords good opportunity to see Koalas but is alive with native bird life. Like the Koala Boardwalk it is wide and easily navigated with a wheelchair.
Woodland Walk
In additional to the two boardwalks the Woodland Walk wanders through the natural bush at ground level. This path is a gravel surface, is smooth and of very moderate grade. Taking your time around this path offers the opportunity to spot a large variety of Australian native wildlife including wallabies, possums, echidnas and over 100 native birds.
Since the 1920’s Phillip Island to the south east of Melbourne has hosted one of nature’s great spectacles, the Little Penguins waddling ashore at sunset to their burrows buried in the sand dunes. The Penguins live year round in burrows in large colonies. They fish all day returning under the cover of dusk to feed their young and avoiding their land based predators. The Little Penguin, also often referred to as the Fairy Penguin is the smallest Penguin in world standing at only 17 inches high.
The Penguin Parade on Phillip Island is now a world renowned attraction with over 650,000 local and international visitors enjoying the spectacle every year. The Penguin Parade has the highest eco tourism rating available with all viewing options designed to protect the animals and their homes. All forms of photography are strictly prohibited to further protect the birds. Phillip Island Nature Parks is a not for profit operation and all visitor income goes back into Penguin research and conservation.
In addition to being an eco tourism attraction the Penguin Parade and its associated facilities are accessible and affords tourists with disabilities the opportunity to witness this remarkable nightly event.
Accessibility Features
Visitors Centre
On entering the car park follow the signs around to car park number one, proceed to the top of the car park and turn right into the adjacent area. There is a line of disabled parking spaces all of 3.5 metres in width. The path at the top of the car park leads directly to the Visitors Centre. Entry is via the paved path and ramp. The ticket counter is immediately inside the door. To the left is a theatrette. The door is level and there is an area inside where the short film can be viewed from a wheelchair. A ramp to the right of the stairs leads to the lower (main) level of the centre. There is a cafe and shops available inside and they all on level floors with easy access to all. Accessible toilets are available at the left hand end of the building. It should be noted that there are no accessible toilets out on the viewing platforms and boardwalks. There is an interpretative education centre down a small ramp way that explains the habitat and life cycle of the Little Penguin. All of these exhibits are at an eye height that can easily be seen from a wheelchair.
General Access to the Penguin Parade
There is a fair roll from the visitor centre to the observation decks at Summerland Beach. For those that require it a courtesy buggy is available immediately outside the door of the visitors centre. The parade occurs at dusk each day so check with the centre prior to your visit for the exact time and allow for the walk to the platforms. Our photos have been taken in daylight to highlight the slopes and surfaces you will be traversing.
Just outside the visitors centre there is a new gently sloping boardwalk that leads to the dunes. This path is wide and smooth it is with a gentle gradient and ample level rest areas. The boardwalk gives access to both the Penguin Parade and Penguin Plus viewing platforms. This boardwalk also allows viewing of the Little Penguins in their burrows.
Penguin Parade
This is the main viewing area at Summerland Beach. At the end of the flat boardwalk the boardwalk slopes up to the left. The slope here is 1 in 14. At the top there are two areas. Both have a large level area at the top to accommodate wheelchairs, especially for families, groups of friends or tour groups. The elevated position gives a good 180 degree view over the beach below as the Penguins arrive and waddle across the beach to their burrows. There is a designated wheelchair viewing area between the two platforms that has a prime location right above the weighing station.
Penguin Plus Viewing Platform
This area provides a more personalised penguin viewing experience. Limited to 150 people, this viewing platform provides a closer viewing of the penguin arrival than the main viewing platforms at the Penguin Parade. The stand is located in a high penguin traffic area and is much closer to the ground giving a more intimate experience. Rangers are on hand to give a full interpretation and insight into the lives of these little creatures. Wheelchair viewing is from the bottom of this stand and therefore gives a far better view than is available from the top of the stands at the Penguin Parade. Because of the limited number of spaces available at Penguin Plus bookings are essential.
The latest addition to the Penguin Plus experience is the underground bunker. The area is limited to 60 guest. It provides an eye level view as the penguins walk straight past the ground level windows. The is a special high floor section giving wheelchair users the same experience from a seated position. This option is perfect for people who are susceptible to the cold.
The Cape kitchen is located on Phillip Road, NewHaven. The restaurant has spectacular views over Bass Straight from its cliff top position.
There are no designated diabled parking bays in the car park. The car park is a fine hard packed gravel surface. A wide ramp leads from the car park to the restaurant. Entry is through double doors off the veranda.
The restaurant is open plan with ample room for people using any form of mobility device. All tables can accommodate a wheelchair user. Both the front and rear verandas have accessible seating and both the rear and front veranda doors and wide and level.
The restaurant has an accessible toilet located on the western end of the building. The cliff top grass area is not accessible to wheelchair users.
Smiths beach is accessed from Back Beach Road. It provides the only accessible ocean beach access on Phillip Island. The carpark has 2 designated accessible parking bays adjacent to the path leading to the boardwalk.
An accessible toilet is located at the carpark. It has side and rear handrails There is an accessible water fountain located in the carpark.
Access to the beach is gained via a zig zagging wooden ramp. The ramp has a concrete base that accesses the hard sand. A newly built observation pavilion is situated halfway down the ramp and provides an excellent sheltered viewing position for those not wanting to venture onto the beach itself. It provides shade and weather protection.
The San Remo jetty has level access from the car park and the disabled parking spaces in front of the Fisherman’s Co-op. The jetty has a smooth timber surface and offers great views of the channel and excellent fishing opportunities for people with a disability. A lower floating jetty is accessed via a ramp. The steepness of the ramp is tide dependent.
Pelican Feeding
Don’t miss the pelican feeding every day at 12 noon. There is easy access across the grass from the carpark.
he mangroves and mudflats of Rhyll Inlet are a significant site for the wading birds that fly thousands of kilometres to feed here during the summer months. The wetlands are recognised under the Ramsar international wetlands agreement. One of the best ways to experience this unique environment is via the Conversation Hill mangrove boardwalk where you literally walk on water through the mangroves.
The Conservation Hill carpark is located on the Cowes Rhyll Road. There is no designated disabled parking bays but the car park is large. To the right is a ramped toilet block that contains an accessible toilet facility. The mangrove boardwalk is a 1.25 kilometre return trip. The first part of the walk is a wide fine packed gravel path with a seat at the halfway point. The walk out into the mangroves and on to the channel is on a wooden boardwalk. The boardwalk ends at an observation platform into the channel through the mangroves. The entire path is flat and easy to navigate for people of all abilities.
The Foreshore Bar and Restaurant
The Foreshore Bar and Restaurant is situated on Beach Rd Rhyll with views over Westernport Bay. A ramp on the right hand side gives access to the entry and verandah. The entry door is wide. Both the internal restaurant and outside verandah are spacious. The dining chairs are easily movable giving a full choice of dining options.
Tides of Rhyll
Next to the Foreshore bar and Grill is Tides of Rhyll, a fish and chippery. Entry is level, off a forecourt through a wide entry door. There is good access to the counter and the internal furniture can be moved to accommodate wheelchairs or prams.
Purple Hen is a small winery located on the Rhyll – Newhaven Rd. It has a designated disabled parking spot adjacent to the path to the winery cellar door and small cafe. The path is fine hard packed gravel and is gently sloping. Entry to the cellar door is through a wide sliding door. The door is manual but the opening effort is light. The tasting cafe area is open and spacious. Tables have movable seating. There is an accessible toilet available in a large room. The toilet has side and rear handrails and the basin has a single lever mixer tap. Straws are available for wine tasting for those with limited hand and finger dexterity. The outdoor picnic tables have an extended overhang at both ends making them suitable for wheelchair users.
Phillip Island Ten Pin Bowling and Entertainment is located in the industrial estate of Cowes at 91-97 Settlement Road. The operators have taken accessibility to heart and have won the Bass Coast Good Access is Good Business Award.
Some of the key accessibility features of the complex are:
• Designated accessible parking next to the entry in the side car park.
• Ramps to the bowling alley
• Moveable furniture on the bowling alley to allow for groups of wheelchair users
• A full range of bowling aids and guides
• Automatic returns, scoring and bumpers
• Special bowling balls with retractable handles for those that cannot use traditional finger slots.
• Accessible toilet facilities.
• Playground
The complex hosts disability bowling competition and training sessions.
